Tuesday, May 08, 2007

I Confess

I'm liking my new chiropractor and massage therapist but man they must have recruited the massage therapist from Abu Ghraib. All she has to do is press on my back in the right place and the pain is so blinding I'm ready to confess to crimes that were committed before I was born. My back & neck feel so good after she's done though so when she asks me if the pressure she's applying is o.k. I grit my teeth, fight back the tears and tell her oh it's just fine may I please have some more. The stupid things I do to be able to move properly.

4 comments:

I just went to a chiropractor for the first time in many years (my hip has been feeling out of joint, making me feel out of sorts). While I, who have been living in my body for a rather long time, fumble around trying to explain where I think it hurts, he puts his thumb into my lower back and says "here?" and Yowp! it sure is.

I've only been to a chiropractor three times (3 different ones) and each time I couldn't shake the feeling that they were quacks. But I know so many people who swear by them I want to try again. How can you tell if the person is knowledgable or just good at talking the talk?

I'm on my second chiropractor (first one retired) and both were recommended to me. First one was recommended to me by a cyclist who I trusted, the second one was the suggestion of a highly respected ultrarunner on a local running message board. I personally look to other athletes for recommendations and look for one that specializes in sports medicine.

I held off going to a chiropractor until my mid 30's for the same reason, I thought they were all quacks. But I've had back trouble since childhood and recurring sciatica that finally got so bad I couldn't sit or stand up straight for days. I gave in out of desperation (tried yoga, core work, ibuprofen, etc.) and in just 3 sessions my sciatica was pretty much gone. Whether or not chiropractic adjustments will help really depends on the problem and what's causing it.

It's hard to tell if someone's a quack just by talking to them, that's why I try to get recommendations from others. Another thing to look for is whether the person takes insurance. I would think most insurance companies wouldn't dole out money to a total quack. I suppose there are always those who slip through the cracks so it's not the first thing I look for but it always makes me feel better (plus my insurance covers it so why pay more).

Another thing to watch for is if they try to sign you up for a bunch of sessions through some package deal or claim you need to come in once a week indefinitely. The guy I'm going to now is working towards having me come in as infrequently as possible and gave me exercises to do at home to complement the adjustments so they last longer.

I have the same nagging feeling about quackishness. If it doesn't get better immediately, then when it does get better, is it because it was going to get better anyway or because it was assisted in getting better? I have the same problem with physical therapy, although usually with PT I better understand the relationship between what's being done and what the results are.

The 2nd chiro I ever went to was because one hip was so pinchy (presciatica, different place--maybe tendon or something?) and I was at an agility trial and desperate. One session with yanking & popping, and pow, pain was completely gone. So that convinced me that someone who knows what to manipulate, and with the right kind of ailment, chiros will do what doctors can't or won't.

My other experience was with my wrist. And it would feel better for a couple of hours after being at the chiro and then would just hurt again, and this went on for a while, and then I stopped going and it still hurt for a while and then it got better. So I dunno about that.

But same thing with PT. The exercises for my back clearly helped and still clearly help when the sciatica act up. But had some PT for shoulder problem that wouldn't go away and then stopped PT because it didnt seem to be helping and eventually the pain went away. So did PT speed up recovery? Dunno.

I think one can just take recommendations, try it, see whether it works for you. There are a ton of different chiro philosophies & techniques, kind of like different kinds of massage, too.